Heat exchangers



Dec. 20, 1966 D. M. DONALDSON 3,292,690.

Original Filed Dec. 20, 1962 HEAT EXCHANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 20.` 1962 Mmmm/QW United States Patent O 3,292,690 HEAT EXCHANGER Desmond M. Donaldson, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Original application Dec. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 246,068, now Patent No. 3,211,118, dated Oct. 12, 1965. Divided and this application Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 452,960

6 Claims. (Cl. 165-152) The present 'application is a division of Serial No. 246,068, led December 20, 1962, entitled, Heat Exchangerjrnow United States Patent No. 3,211,118.

This invention relates in general to heat exchangers and more particularly to radiators suitable for use in automotive vehicles, for example.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing a heat exchanger core assembly, such method being readily adapted to automated techniques `with corresponding labor and cost saving adv-antages.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of forming substantially the entire radiator core from a continuous strip of metal stock.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, low cost radiator manufactured in accordance with the aforementioned method.

Other objects and advantages will -be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a partial view of a radiator constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view illustrating the radiator in various stages of the manufacturing process;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken generally along section lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic process layout;

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view illustrating -a design of the tie members connecting adjacent cooling elements together;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of one embodiment of a tie portion rsubsequent to the initial stamping operation;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the tie portion subsequent to bending the individual cooling elements; and

FIGURE `8 is a View of the tie element illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 in an expanded position.

Radiators made in accordance with the present invention comprise a plurality of 'hollow cooling elements each having apertures adjacent the ends thereof, said cooling elements being so arranged to permit uid to flow yfrom one element to an adjacent element. The apertures are positioned in registered, generally coaxial alignment so that the sets of apertures provide a uid inlet and outlet respectively. The fluid enters one set of iiuidly interconnected apertures, flows through said hollow cooling elements and is withdrawn from an outlet header or manifold connected with the other set of apertures.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a radiator 10 comprising a plurality of hollow cooling elements 12 formed by a pair of elongated, complementary plates or panels 14, 16 respectively xhavin-g their edges joined in sealed relationship. Each cooling element is provided with a pair of circular apertures and has -a dished-out portion 14a, 16a, sometimes referred to as a drawn cup, adjacent each end thereof and an elongated intermediate portion 14b, 16b, which is preferably provided with a series of reinforcing ribs 15 extending lengthwise along said plates. It will be noted that one plate 14 of each pair forming an individual cooling element is provided with lip 18 or ange extending upwardly for a short distance from the plane of said plate, andthe other said plate 3,292,690 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 ICC 16 has a complementary unflanged edge 19 adapted to be received within said lip. This arrangement greatly 'facilitates the connection of said elements together by brazing or some other suitable method. A preferred material of construction is aluminum or aluminum alloy in which case any well known aluminum silicon brazing alloy may be employed to obtain a dependable, watertight seal.

The plate members 16 also include a circular ange 20 extending from said plate and surrounding each of the apertures at the ends thereof. When the cooling elements are assembled, the aperture llanges Z0 are adapted to be received within the unanged apertures 21 of an adjacent cooling element to form a uid transfer connection between adjacent cooling elements.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, the strip stock, preferably stored in a coil or other convenient form, is intermittently fed to a stamping section which forms the strip into a plurality of blanks from which the plates are fabricated. The rough cut blanks, as seen in FIGURE 2, are formed in pairs. Each individual plate of each pair is connected together 'by a short integral strip or web 23 at spaced intervals along its length. The blanks are also formed with small apertures -adjacent each end thereof at substantially the same position, Each pair of blanks is interconnected by a slightly longer web 25 to an adjacent pair of plates at Vspaced locations along its length, the latter forming tie elements which are adapted to join, in spaced rel-ationship, each of the individual cooling elements formed from a complementary pair of plates. The `blanks are then delivered to a forming section wherein the end portions of each plate are drawn to form the concave or dished-out portions adjacent each end. The next step is the formation of the apertures with proper diameter and also forming the upstanding flanges on the edges of alternate plates and around the apertures of said alternate plates. Next, the plates are trimmed to remove burrs or any excess material from the edges or around the apertures and then are delivered -to a cleaning section wherein they are preconditioned for subsequent bonding steps. As t-he plates emerge from the cleaning section they pass into the folding mechanism which bends each element in opposite directions alternately as they are fed from the trimming section. If desired, secondary heat exchange means in the form of -a corrugated iin f may be inserted between each cooling element as formed. The resulting structure is in the form of a plurality of parallel stacked, hollow cooling elements interconnected by narrow ties. 'The width dimension of the ties is nominal as compared to the over-all width of the heat exchanger.

The folded sections 14, 16 iit together such that the drawn cup portions 14a, 16a of the respective elements form a header portion of the heat exchanger and intermediate portions 14b, 16b of the respective elements form tube portions which extend between the header portions. The reinforcing ribs 15 in each of the intermediate portions 14b, 16b preferably extend toward each other such that they divided the respective intermediate portions into a plurality of separate ow passages each of lwhich extends intermediate the header portions.

In order to economically employ the material with minimum waste, the tie elements may be formed in the manner shown in FIGURE 6. In this embodiment, each tie element is initially formed in a serpentine congura- -tion suc-h as, for example, the shape of a U the legs of which are separated by a slot 26 between adjacent iin plates. When the plates are expanded, as indicated in FIGURE 7, the resultant structure so formed is substantially the same as that disclosed in FIGURE 2, however the material removed from the elongated strip between the individual sections is greatly reduced.

A third embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5 cornprises tie elements having a reduced cross section y at the fold to facilitate bending of t-he ties with respect to the plates. If desired, a stiffening ri-b in the shape of a cross 28 or some equivalent design may =be formed in each tie element to achieve greater rigidity and reduce exing during the assembly procedure.,

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some additional modification `and such modiication as may 'be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

I claim:

1. A heat exchanger comprising la plurality of elongated elements having end portions and side portions arranged face to face in pairs to form at least one header portion and at least one tube portion in uid communication with and extending from said header portion Wit-h elements of -adjacent pairs arranged back to back to form a continuous passage from the header portion of one pair to the header portion of the adjacent pair, tie means integral with and extending between each of said elongated elements in said pairs and tie means integral with said elongated elements and extending between adjacent pairs.

2. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of elongated elements having end portions and intermediate portions and being arranged face to face in pairs to form header portions at each end thereof and at least one tube portion in uid communication with said header portions and with elements in adjacent pairs arranged back to back forming a continuous passage from the header portion of one pair to the header portion of the adjacent pair, and tie means integral with and extending from each of said intermediate portions to an adjacent elongated element intermediate portion.

3. A heat exchanger comprising -a plurality of pairs of elongated elements having intermediate portions and end portions yand Ibeing arranged face to face, each of said elements including a dished portion adjacent the end thereof with an intermediate portion extending between said dished portions, one of said elements having a ilange extending from said plate to engage a complementary unanged portion on the adjacent element of said pair, said dished portions including apertures, said pairs being arranged with said dished portions of adjacent pairs positioned to co-align said apertures, a flange extending from the perimeter of one of said apertures into the aperture in the dished portion of the adjacent pair and integral tie elements extending `between the intermediate portions of adjacent elongated elements.

4. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of pairs of elements arranged face to face, each of elongated said elements including a dished portion adjacent the end thereof with an intermediate portion extending between said dished portions, one `of said-elements having an edge flange extending from said plate to engage a complementary unanged portion on the adjacent element` of said pair, said dished portions including apertures, said pairs being arranged with said dished portions of adjacent pairs positioned to co-align said apertures, a flange extending frorn the perimeter of one of said apertures into the aperture in the dished portion of the adjacent pair, tie

elements integral with and extending between adjacent elements and expansible tie elements extending between adjacent pairs.

5. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of pairs of elements arranged face to face, each of elongated said elements including a dished portion yadjacent the end thereof with an intermediate portion extending between said dished portions, one of said elements having an edge t ange extending from said plate to engage a complementary unilanged portion on the adjacent element 0f said pair, said dished portions including apertures, said pairs References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 113,651 2/1918 Great Britain.

ROBERT A. OLEARY,'Prmary Examiner. CHARLES SUKALO, Examiner. 

1. A HEAT EXCHANGER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED ELEMENTS HAVING END PORTIONS AND SIDE PORTIONS ARRANGED FACE TO FACE IN PAIRS TO FORMS AT LEAST ONE HEADER PORTION AND AT LEAST ONE TUBE PORTION IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH AND EXTENDING FROM SAID HEADER PORTION WITH ELEMENTS OF ADJACENT PAIRS ARRANGED BACK TO BACK TO FORM A CONTINUOUS PASSAGE FROM THE HEADER PORTION OF ONE PAIR OF THE HEADER PORTION OF THE ADJACENT PAIR, TIE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING BETWEEN EACH OF SAID ELONGATED ELEMENTS IN SAID PAIRS AND TIE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH SAID ELONGATED ELEMENTS AND EXTENDING BETWEEN ADJACENT PAIRS. 